A Parent’s Guide To Hockey For Their Kids

Struggling to find the perfect fit of a sport for your kid? Give field hockey a shot and both you and your child will be adopting not a sport but a lifestyle you will be proud of. If like me, safety is your concern being a parent of a lively and outgoing child, field hockey is your best bet. It is a non-contact sport where risks of hitting the ball or being hit by another player is minimal. Being a tactical skill, players will focus on game play and building technique rather than showing off their strength.

Or, if you are looking for a game to improve your kid’s health and social skills, this sport again beats others. Being a team sport kids bond up really well and constant activity keeps them fit and mentally agile, says players of hockey leagues in India. Well the benefits of it are immense and out of the scope of this particular blog. Here we will discuss what you would want to know first as you choose hockey for your kid.

Safety and equipment

Before your child can say turf, the first thing you would want to ensure is that he is braced up with proper safety equipment and gear, advices a Indian hockey player and coach. Well, for mums, nothing comes before protection so let’s start with the essentials. You would want to invest in a good quality mouth guard. They protect your child from mouth injuries by falling face first and also they are a must. If you will go for cheaper versions, they are uncomfortable to wear and may compromise safety. Next you need a shin guard and some nice cleats. Cleats in particular are a fashion statement. 

So children may tend to overlook protection and quality. Well, the blend of both is pretty costly, and not advised for growing kids. Your job would be to keep them firm on quality footwear. If he is not the goalie, there is no other protection required. Just buy him a good stick and he is good to go! 

For more info please check www.delhi-waveriders.in/.

How To Handle The Stick In Hockey

What’s the thing with stick handling in hockey? Read on to know more.
 

One of the most crucial stick handling basics is to keep your head up. After all, you can’t know what might happen while you are busy looking at the puck- your callousness might serve as a blessing in disguise for the opponent and he might get away with a shot or two, says a hockey player from the hockey team of India. You are likely to lose scores at the hands of the opponent you didn’t know was near you that ways.

 

The second tip that might come across as a game-saver is not to hold the stick too tightly, or as they put it in hockey-terms – use soft hands. Handle it gently so that you don’t tighten your grip. Think of it as an egg, and handle it carefully enough so as not to break the shell.
 

The next thing that ought to be taken into consideration, says a member of Hockey League in India, is the length of the stick. The shorter your stick, the easier it would be for you to pull across a shot, and the better it would be. On the ice, your stick should come up close to chin, and of the ice, a stick close till nose would be good enough.
 

Stick handling is not as easy as it may look like on the boundary. While practicing stick handling, try to reach out as far as possible on both the sides with the puck. This will help you maneuver the other players around and take over the game.
 

Stick handling is one thing that requires a great deal of commandment. That’s the first thing that should be on the cards in case you are planning to take up on the field.

Work On Mental Strength Besides Skills In Hockey

The game of hockey is brimming with passion. The drive for victory is what keeps the players and spectators hooked to it. With each goal scored and every near miss, the hoot and cry of the crowd varies. Players put in their best efforts and treat each game as a war.
 

However, in this sport amid the avid passion, there are chances of going overboard with it. Young teams, who lack the training and composure, are often found struggling with some rash players. Such players might be able to create a spectacular show once or twice or they may receive cheering from the crowd, but it doesn’t work if you are aspiring to make it big.
 

Expert trainers of national hockey team advice youngsters to keep adrenaline under check. Violence is demeaning to the spirit of the sport and themselves. This is why, coaches are advised to keep a check on all this and take strong measures. 
 

Beside the technicalities, learning to keep your composure under pressure and discipline are crucial skills to master, says a successful hockey team trainer. Any friction can turn into a row within a matter of seconds, and such behaviour is not only unacceptable on field but it brings down your own and your team’s reputation. You would certainly be showed out of field, which will chop off your chances of playing well and sharing the fame.
 

So, in order to overcome this difficulty, coaches should discourage such things from the start. There should be mental exercises and training to keep their calm, even when instigated. They undergo a lot of stress and once they gain the much yearned popularity, fan pressure is an important and ever pressing aspect. Cheering crowd in a full packed stadium and people are holding photos of hockey players, some of which are yours: the thought is invigorating and its desire can build up a lot of pressure. So, something like meditation and mental training drills are necessary for their mental strength.
 

As it is said, in hockey, the mental mathematics can make or mar the game. Learn to focus and to keep that focus unfaltering till the end. You will avoid pitfalls and perform over and above expected norms. With the ability to perform under pressure you can turn the game on your side just when the opponents begin to give way to pressure and frustration.     

Importance of Protective Gear

Hockey is a passionate and energetic game. The dynamic surge equally affects the fans and players. And while you are on the field, you can easily get absorbed in the moment up to an extent that you can risk yours or someone else’s safety.  With its speed and flow, it is impossible and rather foolish to get down on field without sufficient protection.

So, if you are a parent getting ready to send your child to start his hockey lessons, it is imperative that you buy him proper and good quality protective gears. The trainers of hockey team of India underline the vitality of professional safety gears for young children and suggest that it should not be taken lightly. They are of the view that with young children, the game can go astray and wild any moment which can result in an accident. So you must make sure that the whole world of opportunities that the game has to offer, should be explored with safety.

You must lace them up with sports shoes that are light weight and cosy under the sole. Players of hockey team of India are very particular of their footwear even on personal practice days. Since the game involves foot work and by foot work I mean rigorous foot work, it is important that the feet are cushioned and protected. Sore legs, blisters and sprains shouldn’t get in the way. Besides this, paddings of injury prone parts are also required. Knees and elbows are most prone to nicks and tears, but with continuous rough exposure they can get badly torn. Then shoulder pads and protective cups are also extremely essential.

Moreover, if you are child is playing as the goalie it is outright vital that he takes necessary precautions. You can show him photos of hockey players who are his favourite, dressed in gears to motivate him to put safety first.

Thus, with all these precautions your children will surely hit the mark and perform well.     

Hockey: Focus And Physical Training are Equally Important

Champions are not born from a womb but are self-made men, who sweated enough and pushed their limits. No sport can be mastered without these qualities, and hockey is no different. If you like to idealize the winners and performers, you can become like one. However, the catch to it completely lies in how much you are ready to give to your game.
 

Even for the best hockey teams, it all starts with stern physical training. Build muscle strength, boost your stamina level, and be really quick on your legs. Your success story starts only after this. So, pay your ‘physical dues’ as an athlete and carve a niche for yourself. And trust me; the fruits are worth all that. If you are looking for shortcuts, there aren’t any. Build your technique and master the nitty-gritties of the sport.
 

However, rigorous physical training also, is a lopsided story. In order to get your name listed amid the big hockey players names you need to focus on the mind game as well. Once you are ready to hit the field for an important match, the only thing that shapes your victory is your mental state. You have already practiced the techniques and fitness drills, but do you have the required focus to implement it. You must have the calmness to overcome and let go of mistakes, a mental reproach of more than a millisecond during the match can be harmful for your game. Moreover, build up the focus required to administer the best goals, correct mistakes and watch out opponents’ moves all at the same time.
 

Even the best hockey teams admit that it is the psychology that changes games rather than technique. The perfect balance between confidence and brashness needs to be maintained. If you go in too nervous, you will come out bitterly disappointed realizing all your fears have come true.
 

Hence as a hockey player you should to commit to improve your mental game as well. And hard work is the key to it!          

The revival of Indian Hockey

Hockey in India had gone through various phases. From the single dominant country prior to the 1950s, India went almost out of the picture in the early years of this millennium. The last decade marked the ultimate lows of the sport marked by incidents such as protests of the Indian Hockey Players against the board, failing to even qualify for the Olympics, open fight between two organizations, the Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India, to have the control over the sport and ultimately leading to the International Olympic committee’s intervention. But things might be on the verge of changing. As the Hockey India took over the responsibility of governing the sport, it quickly sprang into action, setting up the IPL-style Hockey India League (HIL).
 

Though there were previous attempts to organize a franchisee hockey league in India (even before the success of IPL) such as the ESPN Star-IHF owned Premier Hockey League (PHL) and the Nimbus-IHF owned World Series Hockey (WSH), the Hockey India League quickly grabbed attention with its success of finding corporate sponsorship with the likes of Star Sports India, Hero Honda and many others.
 

Taking cue from the success of IPL, the teams and the players were auctioned. To everyone’s surprise, it was the not the foreign players who earned more, but the Indian Hockey player, Sardar Singh sold for $78000 to the hockey team Delhi Waveriders. The inaugural season in 2013 drew moderate crowds and not much fanfare, the crowds and revenues were on the rise for the 2014 season which is presently underway.
 

With the addition of Bhubaneswar based Kalinga Warriors this season, the total teams competing for the championship has risen up to 6. Though the defending champions Ranchi Rhinos are still very much in the hunt for the cup, it is the Waves-group owned Hockey team Delhi Waveriders, who are favorites to win the cup this year after missing out in the finals of last season.
 

But not all is good with Hockey India League. One major disappointing factor is that all the franchisees are concentrated on the Northern part of India. The southernmost franchisee itself is Bhubaneswar. Though the fact remains that the city teams of Chennai and Bangalore were originally planned, but went unsold in the auction, it is the responsibility of the Hockey India to take the sport to all corners of the country. The Hockey India League may not have been a huge success as its cricketing counterpart, but if managed properly, it could make Hockey a mainstream sport again in this country.
 

Summary: Hockey, the ancient sport that was a part and parcel of India has stood up and taken a rebirth with complete governance by IHF and corporate sponsorship with increase in drive to HIL.

1928 – 1956: Glorious Saga of Indian Hockey

Hockey has found its origin in India during the time of British ruling. It is also known as one among the oldest games for last 1200 years. This game has seen a lot of developments by passing through Arabs, Greeks, Romans and Ethiopians. Some people were used to play this game only for fun while for others it was a good practice of becoming a warrior. The history of hockey team in India is worth mentioning.
 

The term ‘hockey’ has its origin from France. There is a word in French, hocquet which means shepherds crook. All the modern rules for playing hockey were introduced by London Hockey Association in 1886. In India, hockey was introduced by the British Army. The Beighton Cup was the first major hockey tournament in India. In 1895 it was organized in Kolkata. We can still find the photos of hockey players of that time.
 

In the year 1896, once again a tournament was organized for hockey team in India. This tournament

was named as Aga Khan Cup. After that hockey came into full gear making remarkable presence in international events like Afro-Asian Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Hockey Champions Challenge, World Cup, Olympic Games etc.
 

A recent achievement was to organize in India in Delhi in the year 2010. The time period between 1928 and 1956 is considered to be the Golden Period of Indian Hockey. We can see its golden history captured in the photos of hockey players. It was in the year 1928 when India won its first gold medal in Olympics.
 

Without a second thought, India was a champion of hockey till the year 1956. It is an amazing fact that India has won continuous six gold medals in Olympics which is a record still unbroken. Also, Indian hockey has a record of winning consecutive 24 matches during the years between 1924 and 1956.
 

This record is also unbroken till now. Besides that some other remarkable achievements by Indian hockey team are winning a gold medal in World Cup, 2 gold medals in Asian Games and 2 more gold medals in Asia Cup.
 

Some dominating names in Indian Hockey history are Balbir Singh, Roop Singh and Major Dhyanchand. Dhyanchand is the most talked about personality in Indian Hockey. In 1956 he was awarded with Padma Bhushan, for being a legendary player of Indian Hockey who managed to bag three gold medals in Olympics.

The Qualities of a Best Coach

A good coach is capable of making best hockey team the. There are certain things that are expected from a coach which really makes him worth to be called as the same. A great coach is something that can really make the team play to its best. He should be able to inspire each and every member of the team so that they start playing to their maximum. There are various traits that are looked in a coach which can make him really great than just being good.

Humility is the first factor that can make a great coach. Most of the coaches want their team to win every matches they play, irrespective of the circumstances. This kind of mentality from the coaches can only make it really hard for the Indian hockey player to play well. The coach should be able to consider the team and should not have the mentality to evaluate him through the number of trophies that his team made under his training. If the coach is supportive and provides the adequate opportunities for the players, then there is a possibility for the team to win the match easily. A stress less environment is something that is necessary for making the team play well.
 

If you really want be a best Indian hockey player then you should be able to get coaching of a great coach who is having the time and patience to understand the players. A great coach will have adequate time for understanding each and every player in the team. The coach should also listen to the players with patience and respect so that he get the same back from them. If the coach is much arrogant and tries to implement something then the whole team can get collapsed and they won’t even be able to play well.
 

The communication that the coach has with the team members is an essential factor that can keep a good binding between the team members. Best hockey team can be possible only when the coach teaches the players to have good communication with each other. The team should be told that the player who is weak in the team determines the strength of the team and the each one should support the weaker player. When the coach has a kind of passion towards the game and the team, then the players can feel it a better experience and make their team play well despite of any adversities and flaws.

Hockey Leagues- A Game of Passion

The national game Hockey of India always gained mixed responses from the spectators and Media. With the increasing likes for the national game, the filmmakers projected lot of film on hockey that aroused more interest and respect for the game amongst the spectators and bought people integrated to join the hockey sports in India.

Hockey Matches and youth

Hockey leagues in India reflect the power of team work and sheer dedication.  Our Players representing India have enthusiastically played well in the national and International tournament matches thus gave us the feeling of pride of our country and national sport.

Over the several years, the national game Hockey is encouraging and engaging various new talents and giving a concrete platform to youth for proving their merit in national sport.

The national game of India is broadcasted in 146 countries. Around the globe there are 41 million fans worldwide of Hockey Leagues in India.

All the credit goes to our young and dynamic players representing India. Saluting the game and it teams,  here are the most historic creditability of the Hockey players names who managed to get victorious win on international, Asian level are:-

Past Achievements

1)    Junior Women Hockey World cup Match- The splendid performance and edge competitive performances of the team, made India win bronze in Germany. Major contribution was given by the best 18 year old player Rani by her strategy of brilliantly managing the field goals in the year 2013 against England team beating them with the score of 3-2.

2)    Mens Hockey Asia level Match- The players remained unbeaten till the finals and portrayed their best of performance in the match thus managed to win silver and getting qualified for the finals. The star performer of the match was Sardar singh who managed to make his dazzling performance till the end.

3)    Asia Men Hockey Champion’s Trophy- Amongst the most renowned Hockey Players names, the contribution by Yuvraj Walmiki and his team was significant; he made India won the Asia cup in the year 2011, In the Hockey league he played for Delhi wave riders.

4)    State Level Hockey matches- The Ranchi Rhinos were announced as winners in the Hero Honda Hockey League the sport was played between the six conventional franchise teams. Their efforts were watched and cheered by the millions of spectators.

We should cheer the performances of the Hockey players and support their dedication in the best possible manner.